


A chance of Chess

by Starbuck09256



Category: The X-Files
Genre: AU, MSR, the xfiles - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23090026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starbuck09256/pseuds/Starbuck09256
Summary: Mulder has moved back to DC and is working with the VCU while on a job he has a chance meeting with one Walter Skinner who introduces him to the beautiful Dana Scully.
Relationships: Fox Mulder & Dana Scully
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	A chance of Chess

The soft spring breeze fills his nostrils as he runs through the park. His breath steady as his heart rate increases. Since moving back to DC he has been to a few parks trying to find the one with the best route. This one is filled with cherry tree blossoms and beautifully lined trees. It also has some basketball courts and an area where people can play chess. The neighborhood isn’t really close to his own home but it’s worth the extra 10 minutes of running to get here. The biggest ticket will be the coffee shop, with a decent cappuccino and a good drip at a decent price. He wonders if this is where he will fight the monsters that Patterson has been bringing to his tiny lair in the basement. After being so successful with Monty Props he earned the right to leave the normal BAU section into a forgotten dungeon in the basement. But he loves it down there. The noise dimmed the lights bright and his focus uncompromised by the chatter of useless gossip around him. He can leave the area a mess and no one cares. He can stay until 2am without someone lecturing him to go home and get some so called “rest”. This park is beautiful and the neighborhood is not as up and coming as to guarantee an overpriced lack luster cup of joy. He continues around the path sees a set of one man sitting alone at a chess table small pieces placed on their respected places as he looks down at his watch. Another gentlemen finally gets up walking over to the balding man and touches his shoulder. He gives a sad expression that even in the few short years he has been with the FBI is idneitifalable even at this distance, the death of a person seems to manifest in similar ways across the races. The sadness that racks through the bald man's eyes is paulable. His broad shoulders sigh in defeat as he starts to look at the small pieces in front of him. He hasn’t played a game of chess in awhile. In one of his advanced psychology classes they use it as a way to understand the mind of others. Chess is a game played first in the mind and then on the board, intent, sabotage, traps, or just luck playing in a way that riddles the ways of society. His heart rate comes down and he walks to the man. He hasn’t packed up yet and while he doesn’t want to intrude he sees an opportunity to further his love of the game. But the man stands he is younger than Mulder thought his broad shoulder and the way he carries himself scream military. Mulder can’t help himself.

“Wanna play a game?” the bald man gives him a sad smile. 

“Not today, but tomorrow I would be happy to kick your ass.” 

Mulder can’t help but smile. “Pretty sure of yourself there?” he can’t help but grip. 

“See you at 7.” the bald man walks down towards the street turning to walk down the block. 

He’s ran around the park twice. He got there early already invigorated by a new challenge. He even reviewed a few classic chess moves last night. The bald man is there setting up quietly. Mulder approaches. 

“Ready old man?” he says as he jogs up to the table. 

“I doubt I’m a whole lot older than you Mister?” 

“Fox Mulder, just Mulder is good.” 

“Walter Skinner, Skinner is fine.” Mulder nodded and sat down. 

“You ready?” he asked. 

Skinner adjusted his glasses and peered over the younger man. 

“Absolutely. White or black Mulder?” He takes the white and helps set up the board. 

The two of them were evenly matched in skill. Mulder tries different psychological games on the older man with no success. After several stalemates and a win for each of them. Mulder thanks Skinner. 

“Same time next week kid?” Skinner asks and Mulder nods. 

And so it goes for several months when Mulder was in town. Skinner and him would pay two times a week. They would talk about the nonessential things, Skinner was a hard man to read. Mulder ends up doing most of the talking. Then on one buserly morning Skinner wasn’t there. Mulder looks around and waits for almost an hour. Another gentleman whom he knows by the name of Frohike comes over. 

“Skinman is in the hospital.”

“Shit, what for?”

“He was shot had to have an operation and the best doctor flew in for it. Heard the doc is quite a looker.”

Mulder sighs and takes his pieces back to his basement. He taps his fingers along the case file. Finally after concern eats at his resolve he heads back to the park to ask which hospital Skinner is at. Two hours and a phone call to Patterson later he is outside Skinners room watching a beautiful redhead in a white coat annihilate him at chess faster than Mulder thought possible. He could feel her laughter through the door, her bright hair was just like her smile. She was so tiny in that over-sized doctor coat even though she had 2 inch heels on. Mulder is slightly fixated on her. He knocks on the door waiting for an introduction. Skinner grunts as he welcomes him. 

“Had to come down here for your weekly ass-kicking?” Skinner mutters moving in the hospital bed to shuffle his big frame with the wires from the IV. Mulder chuckles. 

“Hi Fox Mulder, glutton for punishment.” he smiles at the pretty doctor. Skinner interrupts him “Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI” she steps back slightly, and Mulder can’t help feeling a little smug at the clear pass Skinner is throwing at him.

“Doctor Dana Scully.” her grip is delicate and strong at the same time. 

She smiles at him. Mulder can not help stare into her deep sea blue eyes. He clears his throat, her hand had felt warm and welcoming in his hand. She has soft delicate features and he realizes how right Frohike was, she was more than just a looker.

“So how is the old man doing?” his voice doesn’t hold back the concern he feels. 

“Not that old Mulder.” Skinner coughs. Scully chuckles. 

“He.. uh... took a bullet about 2 centimeters away from the lung cavity. He is very very lucky to be alive. Even if he is terrible at Chess.” her eyes darting to Skinners. 

Skinner coughs again. “Yea, yea. I lose to this fool a lot too.” 

Mulder can’t help but chuckle at that. Skinner has certainly gotten better and he has become much less rusty. 

“Ah, So your a doctor and amazing at chess?” Mulder asks and Scully blushes slightly at that. 

“Uh I would say your friend is not that good, could be the meds though.” She is polite and not egocentric. 

“So Agent Mulder, maybe you can shed some light on the creep men that keep coming by and peering in on Mr. Skinner. Since Mr.Skinner refuses to provide any details as to where and when he was shot. Maybe you as his friend can convince him to bring the perpetrator to justice.” Mulder eyes dart to the man. 

“Doctor Scully can I have a minute alone with Agent Mulder” 

“Sure Walter maybe he can talk sense into you.” 

She hands Mulder Walters file and walks out the door. Mulder watches her as she leaves. He turns to Walter,

“wow doctors like that I can see why you’ve extended your stay.” 

Skinner grunts. “She’s pretty but also a hard ass, like someone I know.” Mulder can’t help but chuckle. 

“You should play her sometime Mulder, she’ll give you a run for your money.” 

He starts to cough then. Mulder gets up from the seat next to him checking his lines. 

“Hey, hey” Walter spurters. Mulder grabs him a glass of water on the table. 

“What the hell happened to you Walter? Afraid the pretty doctor will find out you are NSA?” 

Walter rolls his eyes. He mutters thanks and settles in. 

“Mulder if I was ever going to suggest a woman to keep you in line and be your ally, it would be her, I’ve known Doctor Scully for a long time. Was a good friend of her fathers before he died last year. She took it rough. Changed careers, she was at the Farm.” 

“She’s ex CIA?” 

Mulders was impressed before now he was down right shocked. 

“Yes, she is smart and capable of taking both of us done in seconds. But she is also very guarded and lonely.” 

“Right because you would know that.” 

Mulder is now seeing where this whole thing is going. 

“Well I’m dating her mom so yea..” Mulders eyes flash up to his bald friend.

“Walter you keep unfolding like a flower.” 

“Yea well just challenge her to chess, see if it can lead to a dinner.” He coughs again. 

Mulder helps Walter settle back in shaking his head. 

“I don’t know Walter,” Walter looks at him. 

“I haven’t known you very long Mulder, but Dana’s been through a lot and she could use a friend, and someone decent at chess.” Mulder nods 

“I’m going to get a cup of coffee.” 

Walter sighs as the door swings close and Mulders footfalls fade. 

The coffee is terrible and he almost spits it out while looking around the small cafeteria. Doctor Scully is sitting in a corner reviewing a file. She catches his eye and smiles. It’s soft but it doesn’t reach her eyes. He sees it now the underlying fear within her. He goes over and pulls out his bag of chess pieces. 

“Skinman has said you are a formidable force, have time for a game?” he asks. 

He is a little shy, he hasn’t dated much since being in DC. She bites her lip and looks at her watch he watches as she reaches up and rubs her face. 

“Ok one game.” she concedes and Mulder can’t help the grin that spreads across his face. 

He sets up the pieces and she can’t help but laugh at his spock figurine for a Bishop. 

“What?” he asks and laughs when he sees her point. 

“Oh yea lost a piece not too long ago anyway. Black or white doctor Scully?”

“Just Scully is fine, white Mulder.” 

“He's talked about me hasn’t he?” at her sheepish look up. 

Mulder realizes that the beautiful Doctor Scully is kind, thoughtful and must be crazy. 

“He told you I was crazy?” Mulder huffs 

She can’t help licking her lips “He might have mentioned the alien thing..yea” but she doesn’t laugh at him. 

“And you still want to do this?” he nods towards the game. 

“From what Walter said, I think we could both use someone to just talk too.” Mulder nods smiling at her. 

One game turns into five Mulder 3 Scully 2. When she gets paged she writes down her number on a napkin and the words rematch. He grins all the way out to his car. 

He waits one day and calls her. She answers on the second ring, and while it starts with talking about chess it ends 5 hours later at 1am when her soft snores come across the line. She calls him the next day to apologize for falling asleep on him. He tells her she can make it up to him by having dinner together. After a fair amount of time which scares the hell out him that he pushed too far too soon she sighs yes. He doesn’t know the history there but from the sound of it she’s been very hurt in a prior relationship, making dating unappealing. So he does one better and says how about just coffee. He can almost feel her smile through the phone, perfect she says. They meet on a rare Saturday morning they would both normally work and he walks with her around the same park he met Walter over a year ago. Coffee turns to lunch then to a new thriller at the local theater then to hours spent rummaging through a vintage bookshop. When 7pm rolls around she looks up from the copy of Jose Chungs catching his eye over his copy of a popular sci-fi. She comes up and brushes his arm, 

“Maybe dinner too..” her smile is soft and shy and he can’t imagine a world without it. 

The dinner goes great and he calls her as soon as he gets home. She hesitates a bit and feels like they are rushing into something. 

“Something good I hope?” he can’t help the pleading in his voice. 

There is no one on the planet he has been able to handle for an entire day, let alone want to spend the entire evening talking to as well. He has so many questions, so many theories and all of the sudden he wants her opinion on them all. Doctor Scully is captivating, she is brilliant, kind, funny and drop dead gorgeous in a way that should make her much more pretentious and not nearly so available. She talks to him anyway even though they talked most of the day, even though she doesn’t like butter on her popcorn she might be perfect. Then when he pushes for another date she says “I don’t think so.” and he hears the soft click that matches the sound of his heart breaking.


End file.
